China.

Manawatu Herald, 23 June 1900, Page 2

China.

REASONS FOR THE "OPERATIONS. M. Delcasse, Minister for Foreign Affairs, states that with all the Powers now co-operating for the restoration of order in China, and especially with Russia, there is no question of conquest. Their only desire is to enforce respect for their existing treaties. Three American regiments, comprising five thousand men, have been ordered from Manila to Tientsin. The British Admiral has sent a gunboat to every port on the Yang-tse river where the Viceroys declare that they cannot maintain order. Two British torpedo-boat destroyers — the Fame (309 tons) and the Whiting 360 tons)-r-took part in the engagement with the Taku Forts. They captured four Chinese torpedoboat destroyers. Reports have been received of an outbreak in the extensive province of Szucban, on the Thibet China frontier north of Yun-nan and of the Yang-tse river. The " Standard " states that forty thousand Russian troops, with fortytwo guns, have been massed at Kiakhta, a Russian town in Northern Chinese frontier. This force, it is added, has been ordered to occnpy I Maimaitchin, which is within Chinese territory just across the border, and also Urga, about two hundred miles further south. LI HUNG CHANG. Li Hung Chang, the famous Chinese Viceroy, has been hastily summoned to Pekin. The officials at Shanghai interpret this to mean that the Manehu party intend to negotiate with the Powers. TROOPS SENT FROM INDIA. The First -Bengal Lancers, the First Madras Pioneers, the Twentysecond Bombay and Twenty-fourth

Punjaub Infantry, the Madras Sappers and a battery of artillery have been ordered to China. JAPANESE IMPRESSIONS. Japanese statesmen are convinced that China will disavow the action of her troops in firing on the foreign I men-o'-war trom the Taku forts, On the other band, the troops which were station at Shantung have been ordered to Pekin. ADMIRAL SEYMOUR'S FORCE, The announcement made in the House ot Lords by Lord Salisbury respecting the withdrawal to Tientsin of Vice- Admiral Seymour's expeditionary force was founded on information derived from a Japanese gunboat. Despatches received by the Admiraly do not confirm the retreat. According to the " Daily News " ana "Daily Mail" Admiral Seymtfur's force is surronded in the middle of an arid plain. Only Chinese messages reach the coast from Pekin. One of these declares that the British flag was flying at the south gate of the capital on Monday. The natives at Shanghai interpret this to mean that Admiral Seymour has arrived at Pekin. THE FLEETS. The Admirals of the foreign fleets have detained a number of Chinese cruisers that were anchored off Taku, at the mouth of the Peiho river, where the forts were attacked and captured on Sunday morning. The battleships of the allied fleets were unable to take part in the bombardment of the Taku forts on Sunday morning for fear of their shells hitting the gunboats, which had taken up a position closer inshore. After the engagement, the Russian gunboat Gilyak (963 tons) was found to have been seriously damaged, while the Koreetz (1213 tons), another gunboat of the same fleet, was leaking seriously. The state of affairs at Shanghaitwelve miles up the Woo-sung river, which runs into the south side of the Yang-tee estuary— necessitated a demonstration for the protection of the European residents. The British warship Undaunted, a first-class cruiser of 5600 tons and iz guns, accordingly trained her guns upon the Woo-sung forts, at the mouth ot the river, for the purpose of overawing the disaffected Shanghai people. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. The Foreign Office has received a telegram from Che-foo reporting that the " Boxers " have damaged the line of railway north of Tientsin and also burned a Catholic chapel and many houses. The Chinese troops did not interfere. A hundred of the " Boxers " who attacked various settlements were killed. , / A Chinese report states that a secret edict has been issued at Pekin ordering the Imperial troop* to join the " Boxers." MORE TROOPS LANDED. Further detachments of /foreign troops have been landed to protect Tientsin, the " Boxers " having paralysed Chinese authority. TREATMENT OF WOUNDED. ■ The wounded of all nationalities who were injured during the, bombardment of the Taku forts have been sent to Japan for treatment. Russians predominate. THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Rear -Admiral Bruce, second in command on the China station, reports to the Foreign Office under (J^te the 18th inst. that he had no ne#* as to the whereabouts of Vice-AdJ«iral Seymour's expeditionary force. The Rear-Admiral says that he bad nothing authentic to report concerning the Legation at Pekin. He says that Tientsin has been isolated. The Admirals are cO-operating with the utmost harmony.